Ash Barty’s journey in this year’s US Open comes to an end as world no. 43, Shelby Rodgers, an underdog, secures a victory against her. In a thrilling third-round match, Rodgers, an American player, defeated Barty with a score of 6-2, 1-6, 7-6(5).
Rodgers made an impressive comeback from being 5-2 down in the final set, leading the match into a tense tiebreaker. The audience rallied behind her, supporting the last remaining American player in the women’s singles tournament after Jessica Pegula’s elimination earlier in the day. Barty’s missed forehand led to match point for Rodgers, and the game concluded with Barty hitting a powerful backhand shot that sailed over the baseline.
Following a challenging two-hour and nine-minute battle against the reigning best female player in the world, Rodgers secured her spot in the next round. Despite having faced each other five times previously in their careers, with Barty emerging victorious in all encounters, the tables turned in favor of Rodgers this time. This victory not only propels her into a matchup against Britain’s Emma Raducanu on Monday but also opens up a significant opportunity to vie for the grand slam title after another top contender, Naomi Osaka, surprisingly fell to Canadian Leylah Annie Fernandez.
Reflecting on the match, Barty expressed, “It’s a difficult pill to swallow. But tonight is what it is. I managed to claw my way back into the match, turning the tide in my favor, but unfortunately, I couldn’t finish it off.”
